Paper holder



8- 1934- F. R. SNELL 1,971,539

PAPER HOLDER Filed March 5, 1934 gwuc/wto a Patented Aug. 28, 1934 UITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

inexpensive and effective device adapted to rest on a table or the likefor firmly holding a riewspaper in a convenient position with respect tothe readers line of vision.

Paper holders heretofore proposed have been constructed of relativelylight material, and in such manner as to cause them to be easily upsetand sometimes broken. Furthermore, the paper holding elements of thesestructures present sharp points or edges which tear the paper as it isbeing inserted between the elements; permit the paper to fold inwardlyafter it is inserted, and/or obstruct a relatively large portion of theprinted matter on said paper.

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide a paperholder comprising a weighted support adapted to rest on a table or thelike and having embedded therein the feet of pair of inverted U-shapedresilient members which will firmly grasp and hold a newspaper or thelike in a predetermined position, said resilient members enabling aperson to readily insert a paper therebetween without danger of tearingthe paper.

With the foregoing object outlined and with other objects in View whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaim.

In the drawing:

l is a front elevation of my device.

2 a side elevation.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates an elongated weighted support orbase, preferably made of lead or other suitable heavy material andhaving front and rear inclined surfaces 6 and 7 respectively, adapted toreceive advertising notices or the like. As will be seen in the drawing,the base has a relatively large plane under surface which is adapted torest on a table or the like, and this feature of my invention, taken inconjunction with the relatively heavy weight of the support, preventsthe device from being accidentally upset. The base is also provided witha plane upper surface 8 forming the apex of the inclined surfaces 6 and7.

A pair of inverted U-shaped resilient members 9 and 10, preferably madeof wire or the like, are provided for holding a newspaper or the liketherebetween. The outer or larger of these members, (9), has its endsembedded in the support near the ends of the latter, as indicated at 11,while the inner or smaller member 10 has its ends embedded in thesupport between the ends of the outer member and forwardly of the endsof the latter, as shown at 12. Both of these resilient members arenormally curved rearwardly, and as may be seen from Fig. 2, the medialportion 13 of the inner member extends rearwardly through the outermember.

In using the device for the purpose of holding a newspaper or the like,the operator may simply grasp the inner member with one hand and bendthe same forwardly through the outer member. He can then insert anewspaper between the two members and release the inner member. The 7latter will then automatically move rearwardly toward its normalposition shown in Fig. 2, and in doing so, will press the newspaperagainst the outer member to thereby firmly clasp the same and hold it ina convenient position with respect 76 to the readers line of vision.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a novel devicewhich will firmly grasp and support a newspaper or the like in apredetermined position without danger of upsetting the 80 device or oftearing the paper as it is inserted or removed from between theresilient members 9 and 10.

While I have disclosed what I consider to be a 7 preferred embodiment ofmy invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood,

I am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device for holding a newspaper or the like, comprising an elongatedweighted support adapted to rest on a table or the like, an outerinverted U-shaped resilient member having its ends embedded in thesupport near the ends of the latter, an inner inverted U-shapedresilient member having its ends embedded in the support between theends of the outer member and forwardly of the ends of the outer member,both of said members being curved rearwardly, and the inner memberhaving its medial portion extending rearwardly through the outer member.

FREDRICK R. SNELL.

